The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-03-10
MARQUIS OF ~ROvAGNASCA.
Career of the Italian Nobleman who

3I5 MbNn<SsS VI ~
Career of the Italian Nobleman Who
Died Recently in New York.
The body of Roberto Pratt, marquis
of Rovagnasca, lay in a room in the ten
cment house No, 5s2 East Eighty-second
street. He died late Wednesday night
after a remarkable and romantic career.
He was born in Alessanda Iii Eggitto,
y city of ~Piedmonte, in 1925. His father
was the Marquis Ettorre Pratt and his
mother the Marchioness Teresa MAJ.
zoochi. Both belonged to ancient and
noble families ::of Piedmonte, and the
young Roberto was born in his fathers
ancestral castle of Rovagnasca. At
an early age he entered the military
academy at Turin. Before he was 20
years old he was graduated and COM
missioned a second lieutenant in the
army of Victor Emmanuel, then the
young, gallant, and ambitious king of
Sardinia The struggle which was
consummated at Solferino and Magenta
for the a~nitication of Italy vas just them
beginning: and young Pratt warmly
esPoused the cause of Italian liberty
and of the king of Sardinia In the
war of l848 and 1S49 he greatly dis
tinguished himself, and in 1852 was
made ar officer of the Royal carabin-
Teri I'm recognition of his service he
was given 4 medal of gold for valor
and raised to the rank Of captain.
In 1856 he was assigned to duty ON
the staff of the king and made a major.
Meantime Pratt had married, and at
the court of Victor Emmanuel no one
wa SO lavish in expenditure or gave
suoh magnificent entertainments as the
young marquis and marchioness of
Rovagnasca. Soon the court gossips
began to talk of the great favor with
which the king regarded the beautiful
marchioness. The rumors reached the
ears of Pratt, and the result was that
he separated from his wife. But just
at this time there appeared at the court
Of the king the beautiful and fascina-
ting Countess Milliflores. She was
countess not only of a hundred flowers
but of a hundred hearts. and among
those who fell before her charms was
Victor Emmanuel. Pratt was then in
the prime of early manhood, a gallant
officer, expert swordsman, and of most
charming personal manner He was
vel six feet tall, and his form was de-
veloped by every kind of military and
manly exercise. The countess was
more attracted by the gallant young
marquis than by the plain-visaged
king. in spite of the glamour of royal
ty which encompassed the latter. This
was in 1859, when that war had begun
which made Victor Emmanuel king of
Italy. The king at that time was loath
to lose the service of such I'm officer as
the marquis, but even the splendor of
that crown which was just beyond the
point of his sword could not blind he
eyes to jealousy, and an imprudent re-
mark of Prati's fastened the catas-
trophe. He was summoned to the
presence of the minister of war and
informed that the king would give him
a pension of $50 a month if he would
ex lie himself. If he refused he would
be in a'dungeon in twenty-four hours.
Pratt had no alternative. He resigned
his commission on the spot and broke
his sword.
Then he came to this country, hoping
to find here a chance to create for him
self a new career. He had but littl e
money left of his inheritance, and this
he soon spent in trying to carry out the
same gorgeous style of living to which
he had been accustomed IN Italy. The
Mnsion promised him by the King was
regularly paid. and Pratt was obliged
to accept it in order TO keep himself
alive. He started a fencing-sohool, but
failed to make it a success. His wife
died in Italy, and the battles of Softer.
'ino and Magenta placed the crown OF
Italy on the head of Victor Emmanuel.
Pratt after several attempts to make a
living by giving lessons in Italian and
French, got position as deputy mar
shall and interpreter in the mayors Of
flee in this city. Victor Emmanuel
was married TO the Countess Mellifores
on his deathbed, and on the accession
of UmbertO the pension which had been
paid to Pratt vas stopped. Pratt lost
his position in the mayors office, and
for the last few years of his life earned
a scanty subsistence by giving lessons
in Ere nch. and Italian.
After the death of his wife, twenty
years ago, Pratt married Harriet Nc
Quade, of Orange, N. j. She died
about seven years ago. BY her he. had
three children, two daughters and a
son, all of whom survive him. In all
his misfortunes the Marquis Rovagnasca
bore himself like a gentleman and kept
to the last the bearing and department.
which had made him so prominent a
figure at the, court of Victor Emmanuel
and on the field of battle. Not long
ago King Umberto. hearing that the
marquis was in needy circumstances,
sent him 5000. To-day the body of the
unfortunate man will be taken to Or
ange and laid beside the remains of his
second wife.-NeW York World.
The Secretary Bird Extinct.